CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Genzyme Corp.
(Nasdaq: GENZ) announced today that it will build a major new research and
development center in Beijing. The initiative is an important element in
Genzyme's ongoing global expansion and commitment to establishing a long-term
presence in China.
The new facility will be used for research and development activities
involving many of Genzyme's key areas of focus, including orthopedics,
transplant and immune disease, oncology, endocrinology and cardiovascular
disease. The facility, which will feature an innovative green design, will
also include laboratory-scale operations for the MACI(R) (matrix-induced
autologous chondrocyte implantation) cell therapy and polyclonal antibody
operations.
"This new site represents a major step forward in our effort to improve
the lives of patients in China by introducing innovative new medical
products," said Henri A. Termeer, Genzyme's chairman and chief executive
officer. "As we expand our presence in China, we look forward to making a
significant contribution to the growth of the country's life sciences
industry."
Genzyme already markets Synvisc(R) (hylan G-F 20) and Thymoglobulin(R)
(anti-thymocyte globulin rabbit) in China, and is preparing to introduce
additional products next year. The company also has a pilot program at
Beijing Wujing Hospital for the cell therapy product MACI. Genzyme currently
has 25 employees working in offices in Beijing and Shanghai.
Since 1999, Genzyme has provided its rare genetic disease treatment
Cerezyme(R) (imiglucerase for injection) free of charge to Chinese patients in
need. Approximately 125 patients are being treated in China through the
Gaucher Initiative, Genzyme's humanitarian partnership with Project HOPE.
Last year, the company began a collaboration with the Chinese firm Sunway
Biotech Co. Ltd. with the goal of bringing a gene therapy for cardiovascular
disease to patients in China and Genzyme is seeking to form additional
partnerships with local companies.
Consistent with Genzyme's commitment to the environment and corporate
responsibility, the new Beijing facility will feature an attractive
architectural design and innovative green features that will create a healthy
and comfortable workplace for employees, and reduce its environmental impact.
The company intends to seek certification for the building with the U.S. Green
Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating
system. Genzyme's global corporate headquarters, Genzyme Center, achieved the
highest LEED rating, and all of the company's facilities worldwide are being
built to high environmental standards. Genzyme is conducting major R&D and
manufacturing expansion projects in the United States, Belgium, France, the
United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and is rapidly expanding its commercial
operations in countries around the world.
Genzyme's new Beijing facility will be located in Zhongguancun (ZGC) Life
Science Park, an area dedicated to academic and government research centers as
well as pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The 200,000 square-foot
building will be constructed with low-impact environmental techniques and
methods, and will incorporate a range of environmentally responsible features,
including: a living roof to reduce pollution caused by storm water runoff; a
solar thermal system that will provide a significant portion of the building's
hot water and reduce its energy consumption; and low-flow fixtures to limit
water usage.
An all-glass exterior will provide employees with significant natural
light, contributing to a pleasant working environment and reducing the
facility's dependence on electricity for artificial lighting. The facility is
also intended to serve as a central gathering spot, with a large auditorium to
host meetings of employees, physicians and others in the scientific community.
This meeting space will be adjacent to an exterior garden area, and there will
also be interior gardens throughout the facility.
Genzyme's core research and development operations are located in
Massachusetts, USA. The company also has a research site in Cambridge, U.K.
The Beijing facility will be the company's second product-focused R&D site
outside of the United States.
Genzyme is seeking necessary governmental authorizations and expects to
complete and open the facility in 2010. The facility will be able to
accommodate 350 employees, and the total cost for the project is estimated to
be $90 million. The architect is RMJM Hillier and the engineer is MW Zander.
About Genzyme
One of the world's leading biotechnology companies, Genzyme is dedicated
to making a major positive impact on the lives of people with serious
diseases. Since 1981, the company has grown from a small start-up to a
diversified enterprise with more than 10,000 employees in locations spanning
the globe and 2007 revenues of $3.8 billion. In 2007, Genzyme was chosen to
receive the National Medal of Technology, the highest honor awarded by the
President of the United States for technological innovation.
With many established products and services helping patients in nearly 90
countries, Genzyme is a leader in the effort to develop and apply the most
advanced technologies in the life sciences. The company's products and
services are focused on rare inherited disorders, kidney disease,
orthopaedics, cancer, transplant, and diagnostic testing. Genzyme's
commitment to innovation continues today with a substantial development
program focused on these fields, as well as immune disease, infectious
disease, and other areas of unmet medical need.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Genzyme's
business plans and strategies, including without limitation: the construction
of an R&D facility in Beijing, the incorporation of environmentally sensitive
design features and construction techniques into the facility, the
commencement of construction of the facility, and the completion and opening
of the facility in 2010. These statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
forecasted. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: Genzyme's
ability to obtain all required authorizations and permits to build the R&D
facility; Genzyme's ability to utilize low impact environmental techniques and
to incorporate environmentally sensitive design features into the facility;
Genzyme's ability to construct the facility without delays resulting from
customary design and construction risks; Genzyme's ability to validate, set-up
and commence operations at the facility; and the risks and uncertainties
described in Genzyme's SEC reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, including the factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in
Genzyme's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2007.
Genzyme cautions investors not to place substantial reliance on the
forward-looking statements contained in this press release. These statements
speak only as of today's date and Genzyme undertakes no obligation to update
or revise the statements.
Genzyme(R), Synvisc(R), Thymoglobulin(R) and Cerezyme(R) are registered
trademarks of Genzyme Corporation. All rights reserved.
Genzyme's press releases and other company information are available at
http://www.genzyme.com and by calling Genzyme's investor information line at
1-800-905-4369 within the United States or 1-678-999-4572 outside the United
States.
Media Contact: Investor Contact:
Erin Emlock Patrick Flanigan
(617) 768-6579 (617) 768-6563
SOURCE Genzyme Corp.